No Sense, But Plenty Of Dollars

CHARLES BRICKER ON THE NFL

There are still fools in the NFL, and they still part with their money, though the number and scope of the financial blunders associated with free agency seems to be declining.

After 10 years, most club executives understand that when a player has success with one club it doesn't mean the success is going to continue with their team.

My five biggest unrestricted free-agency duds, taking into account performance, pay and expectation: (1) running back Warrick Dunn of the Falcons, (2) cornerback Duane Starks of the Cardinals, (3) cornerback Aaron Beasley of the Jets, (4) tight end David Sloan of the Saints, (5) tight end Stephen Alexander of the Chargers.

And the five top unrestricted free agents: (1) defensive tackle Lional Dalton of the Broncos, (2) linebacker Kevin Hardy of the Cowboys, (3) safety Tony Parrish of the 49ers, (4) guard Chris Naeole of the Jaguars, (5) receiver Johnnie Morton of the Chiefs.

Dunn is an enigma. Obviously talented, he needs to be on a team with a creative and offense-minded coach. If he played for the 49ers, the Seahawks or even the Ravens, he would be utilized better.

But he was underused by Tony Dungy at Tampa Bay, and Dan Reeves, who never maximized John Elway at Denver, doesn't seem to know what to do with him on the Falcons.

Atlanta was desperate for a running back when they signed Dunn on March 15. Then the Falcons got burly (254 pounds) T.J. Duckett in the draft, and now Reeves had two completely different runners. Both have failed, and Reeves is now using Dunn more as a motion receiver.

They're paying Dunn $26.9 million over six years to be a part-time runner/slot receiver?

Injuries have set back Starks and Alexander, but both were under-performing before they got hurt. At 5 feet 9, Starks had better be as good as Aaron Glenn to make it in the NFL, and he's not.

On balance, though, this could be the best year for unrestricted free agents. Dozens are playing well, but no one has earned his money ($22 million over seven years) as much as "Jelly" Dalton, who came over from the Ravens because they could not afford to keep him. He's a wonderful success story -- a 309-pound cork against the run that was never drafted after his years at Eastern Michigan.

The big autograph caper

As Terrell Owens gaffes go, this one wasn't nearly as egregious as the infantile taunting incident in which he danced on the Dallas Cowboys midfield logo a couple years ago after scoring a touchdown for the 49ers.

This time Owens whipped a pen out of his sock after beating Shawn Springs for a touchdown and autographed the ball for his financial advisor as he stood in the end zone.

I wasn't insulted for the game, as some said they were. It was more the irritation of watching someone who has a compulsive need to be noticed. Think of what Owens could have done. He could have gone to the bench with the ball, autographed it there in relative privacy and asked a ball boy to hold it until after the game, when he could deliver it.

But not Owens, who must have suffered from recognition deprivation as a child.

The NFL acted properly by not fining him and for advising players that any future similar acts would be penalized.

P.S.: You saw the way 49ers coach Steve Mariucci blew off the incident. How many of you figured, correctly, that he didn't want another clubhouse war with Owens -- like the one he had last year after the Niners' overtime loss to the Bears.

Owens accused Mariucci of not having any killer instinct in that game.

Third-and-long

The Ravens public relations staff put out a four-page "media information guide" for players and coaches, including 10 tips for dealing with reporters. One of them ("Make your points in 20 seconds.") is not good advice. Real reporters have a much longer attention span and appreciate more detailed answers. Another, however, ("Don't hide from the media. Be a man.") was right in the bull's-eye. ...

If I could watch only one game today it would be Bucs at Eagles. The past two times these teams played at The Vet were playoff games, and Philly won them both (21-3 in the 2000 season and 31-9 last season) without giving up a touchdown. This will be a very hard-hitting match and one of those 17-14 games where at least one TD will be scored by the defense. ...

Second-year defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch of the Cards has been everything you thought he would be last season, when he was unable to play because of injury. ...

The Texans-Browns game today is going to be a blitz-fest. Houston coach Dom Capers is a leading advocate of the zone blitz, and he'll send extra pass-rushers on 50 percent of the apparent passing downs. Butch Davis, the Cleveland coach, isn't a fanatic about blitzing, but when the opposing quarterback is rookie David Carr, who has gone down 31 times, and you're facing a team with a very weak offensive line interior, you blitz. ...